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The Omaha Public Power District has unveiled five refrigerators as the canvases for five Omaha-area artists on outdoor display in the Old Market. Eventually, the fridge art will be moved to various Omaha locations.
The repurposed refrigerators were among 2,500 that Omaha homeowners recycled in an OPPD energy-savings program. The utility offered to cart off old working refrigerators and pay $35 for the privilege. The district has recycled 1,550 refrigerators so far this year as part of its efforts to promote recycling and energy efficiency.
The artist has this to say about her involvement with this project:
"We hear a lot about recycling. It seems that you see those three little arrows everywhere encouraging us to please recycle. But those three little arrows stand for more than simply recycling they are actually part of a three part program known as the Three R’s. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in that order.
OPPD has been working to educate its customers on ways to reduce energy consumption. One of those ways is through the refrigerator recycling program. But an old refrigerator is not completely recyclable and doesn’t reuse come before recycle? So, as an artist, I thought it might be fun to come up with some creative ways to put an old refrigerator to use and focus attention on that often overlooked “R”, reuse. So far I’ve come up with about 10 ideas that are worthwhile.
The terrarium project is one of my favorites because, after all, who didn’t make a terrarium when they were a kid? Plus, by putting the refrigerator to use in a way that gives life to something I feel like it allows that old refrigerator a chance to reduce its carbon footprint a little."
The artist further offers these suggestions for the use of an old refrigerator:
Raised planter beds
Fish pond
Compost bin
Garden/tool shed
Bench
Outdoor table with built in drink cooler
Dog House
Wardrobe
Book shelves